Farmer petitions CHRAJ over alleged embezzlement at Atebubu

Atebubu (B/A), March 28, GNA - A farmer at Atebubu has petitioned the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), over the alleged embezzlement of 300 million cedis by the management of Atebubu Market Park Committee.

Mr Frank Yeboah, the petitioner, is also seeking a redress for the fraudulent manner in which Mr Nii Boye, who allegedly possessed a fake certificate from the Institute of Professional Studies, Legon, was employed as an accountant by the management.

Mr Vasco Kwadwo Nyamekye, Atebubu District Director of CHRAJ, who disclosed this to Ghana News Agency at Atebubu explained that, that Boye was in employment from January 2001 up to February 2003 until a reliable source at Atebubu and Amantin revealed that he used a fake certificate to secure the job.

The petitioner also alleged that Boye manufactured a pay-in stamp of the Atebubu District branch of the Agricultural Development Bank with which he duped his employers of huge sums of money. He said the accountant's nefarious activities led to the summary dismissal of four staff of the market committee by the Atebubu District Assembly, without any probe or auditing of the accounts.

Mr Nyamekye said a local government's staff, Mr Nicholas N. Appiah of the Atebubu District Assembly was asked to audit the books of the company and allegedly collected six million cedis for that. He said the case of embezzlement was brought before the interim management committee for investigations but Mr Mark Addi, District Coordinating Director, later dissolved the committee.

Citizens of Amantin and Atebubu had made persistent appeals for the case to be addressed but all to no avail, hence the petition to the CHRAJ.

Meanwhile, the district office of CHRAJ at Atebubu has invited the District Chief Executive and Board Chairman of the market committee to respond to the case within 10 days or the matter would be referred to the Regional Office of CHRAJ.